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Mar 21, 2023International Day of Color

Wherever there is light, there is color. It lends liveliness and character to the world around us, but we can also use it strategically to convey particular tones and messages. Blue creates a sense of tranquility, purple gives a sense of luxury, and red can express passion or danger. On International Color Day, organizations around the world meet to discuss research and share knowledge about color theory and its use in the fields of industry, arts, science, and design. As you go about your day, stop and take in the colors around you and think about why they were chosen and how they make you feel. It might just make you consider how you use color in your own life.Desktop Version

Jul 31, 2022Noctilucent clouds

It"s around this time of year when some lucky people get to witness these rare, wondrous clouds. Known as noctilucent, or "night-shining," clouds, they"re the highest clouds in our sky and are only visible during summer. They"re made up of icy dust glowing at the edge of space, roughly 50 miles above the planet"s surface. The trick to seeing them is to gaze up into the sky at twilight, when sunlight is not reaching the Earth"s surface, but is still shining through the high-altitude noctilucent clouds. These clouds occur more often at high latitudes but have been seen lower than 50° north and south.Desktop Version

Nov 20, 2021World Children s Day

For World Children"s Day, we"re featuring an aerial view of a larger-than-life painting on the summit of the Moléson in the Swiss Prealps. The 16,000-square-foot fresco is titled "Un Nouveau Souffle" (A New Breath) and depicts a child blowing clouds toward the horizon. It was created by French-Swiss artist Saype—real name Guillaume Legros—who is known for his grassy graffiti around the world. The eco-friendly artist uses biodegradable paints made from natural pigments such as coal and chalk, so by the time you read this, his land art will have already disappeared into the soil.Desktop Version

Apr 8, 2022Ponta Delgada

Today we"re taking a trip to the verdant cliffs at the edge of Madeira, the principal island of the Portuguese archipelago that"s also called Madeira, roughly 320 miles west of Morocco in the North Atlantic. These terraced hillsides are just outside the village of Ponta Delgada, on the north coast of the island. Originally uninhabited, Madeira and the other islands in this chain were settled by the Portuguese in the early 1400s and became a main stopover for European explorers during the so-called Age of Discovery.Desktop Version

May 8, 2022Mother s Day

Among mothers, few can claim as deep a bond with her baby as a koala mom. Because her pregnancy lasts only a month—likely making her the envy of other mammal mothers—her baby emerges into her embrace still in the embryonic stage, about the size of a jellybean. Mom will spend the next year carrying her baby, called a joey, either inside her pouch or on her back, a feat that makes her annual Mother"s Day card well-earned.Desktop Version

Oct 24, 2019Bridge of Hillsborough County

The Hancock-Greenfield Bridge (aka County Bridge) has offered a picturesque passage over the Contoocook River in southern New Hampshire since 1937. It was built to replace another covered bridge that had been destroyed in a flood. But why even build a covered bridge? In a word, longevity. The roof and walls help protect the timber supports from rot. For comparison, an uncovered wooden bridge lasts an average of 20 years, while the covered variety can reach 100 years or more.Desktop Version

Oct 26, 2023Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria

This autumnal scene can be found on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, in the Austrian capital, Vienna. It was the summer residence of the ruling Habsburg emperors from the 18th century to 1918, having been redeveloped by Empress Maria Theresa in the 1740s. Complemented by its lush gardens, which house the world"s oldest existing public zoo, the palace itself is a gem of Europe"s opulent Baroque era. Schönbrunn Palace Park has been open to the public since 1779 and both it and the palace, now under the ownership of the Austrian government, are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This leaf-strewn path offers an escape from the bustling city. So, take a stroll on this enchanting estate and let yourself be transported to centuries past.Desktop Version

Jun 14, 2021A Flag Day tradition

Because it"s Flag Day in the US, we"re at the site of what"s believed to be the largest free-flying US flag in the land. It"s crowning the George Washington Bridge connecting Manhattan with Fort Lee, New Jersey. For those crossing the Hudson today, Old Glory will be on full display on the New Jersey tower, at least between the hours of 7 AM and 1:15 PM, after which New York Port Authority workers will reel the 60-by-90-foot, 450-pound nylon flag back into the tube where it"s housed, suspended hundreds of feet above the busy crossing. The flag is set to come out again on July 4, and if you can"t catch it then, you"ll still have a chance to see this enormous flag a few more times this year, as it is scheduled to fly again on Labor Day, September 11, and Veteran"s Day.Desktop Version

Nov 21, 20222022 FIFA World Cup

Finally, after years of planning, building, and controversy, the 2022 World Cup is kicking off in Qatar. It"s the biggest event on the international soccer calendar, bringing together the globe"s top teams to proudly represent their countries. The prestigious World Cup tournament has been held every four years since 1930, except when WWII derailed it in 1942 and 1946. There will be fierce competition in Qatar as the champion French team seeks to defend their title, with the final scheduled for Qatar National Day, December 18. This is the first World Cup hosted by a country in the Middle East, and it"s later in the year than usual due to the hot weather in Qatar.Desktop Version

Sep 22, 2019Barcelona bids farewell to summer

Every year, for four days in September, locals and tourists flock to one of Barcelona’s biggest events, La Mercè Festival. It got its beginnings in 1687 when Barcelona was suffering from a plague of locusts. In desperation, city officials voted to ask for the assistance of La Mare de Déu de la Mercè (the Virgin of Mercy). Eventually, having been delivered from the pestilence, the officials named the Virgin of Mercy the patroness of Barcelona, and an annual festival has been celebrated in her honor in the city ever since.Desktop Version

May 4, 2022Star Wars Day

This otherworldly desert landscape in Jordan might look familiar to "Star Wars" fans, who today can"t be blamed for blessing each other with the tired pun, "May the Fourth be with you." That"s right, today is Star Wars Day, an annual celebration every May 4 of all things "Star Wars." Wadi Rum, aka Valley of the Moon, in southern Jordan, stood in for the moon Jedha in "Rogue One," and for the planet Pasaana in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." It is easy to see why this desolate landscape was chosen to mimic an alien world.Desktop Version

Mar 15, 2023Agüero, Huesca province, Spain

Huddled beneath these pink-gray stone monoliths is the pretty village of Agüero, in Huesca province, northern Spain. The textured cliffs known as the Mallos de Agüero act as a 660-foot-high backdrop to this picturesque village, drawing both climbers and photographers keen on capturing the perfect shot. This hidden gem in the foothills of the Pyrenees has about 130 residents and is popular with tourists, thanks to the 12th-century Church of Santiago. A national monument with intricate stone carvings of beasts and religious scenes, the church was never finished but is considered one of this region"s most beautiful Romanesque temples. If you consider yourself a history buff, a rock climber, or both, put Agüero on your travel list.Desktop Version

Dec 9, 2023National Llama Day

Strap on your hiking boots because it"s National Llama Day! December 9 is a designated day to appreciate these intelligent and trainable creatures. You"ll need to visit the Andes Mountains to see their wild cousins, guanacos. Guanacos are believed to have originated in the central plains of North America 40 million years ago, but they gradually migrated to South America. Scientists think llamas descended from guanacos and were first domesticated around 4500 BCE.Desktop Version

Feb 21, 2023New Orleans for Mardi Gras

Welcome to Mardi Gras, the festivity celebrated before the start of Lent in Roman Catholic countries around the world and in many parts of the US. Mardi Gras is especially big here in New Orleans, where celebrations date back to sometime in the mid-18th century.Desktop Version

Mar 18, 2022Holi festival

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi will find revelers caked in these colorful powders by the day"s end. Also referred to as the Festival of Spring, the Festival of Love, and the Festival of Colors, Holi is celebrated during the full moon in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar. This year it"s March 18. Holi symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and celebrates the beginning of spring, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love in all forms. It"s a time for affirming friendships, burying old grievances, and letting romance bloom.Desktop Version

Aug 2, 2022Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park

You won"t find a lot of solitude on the Hickman Bridge Trail, a 1.7-mile route in Capitol Reef National Park that leads to this magnificent natural arch. The trail is used by hikers, runners, and nature lovers drawn by incredible rock formations, gullies, and remnants from the ancient Fremont Culture civilization. Hickman Bridge itself is one of the best-known geologic features of the park.Desktop Version

Mar 9, 2023Waimea Canyon and Waipoo Falls, Kauai, Hawaii

The water pictured crashing down the side of Waimea Canyon, on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, has come from one of the rainiest places on Earth. Waipo"o Falls is fed by water from Mount Wai"ale"ale, a shield volcano whose name means "overflowing water." The mountain is often shrouded in clouds and experiences a huge amount of rainfall each year—which helps explains those spectacular rainbows.Desktop Version

Apr 13, 2022Mitsumata blossoms

Stress seems to melt away when you gaze at this serene forest protecting the mitsumata blossoms below. While the flowering buds are beautiful in their natural state, the mitsumata shrub (Edgeworthia chrysantha) has so much more to offer. Originally brought from China to Japan by monks, the green plant is now a staple of Japanese papermaking and one of three principal ingredients in washi, traditional Japanese paper. No wonder, then, that it"s also known as the Oriental paperbush. Mitsumata washi is dense and holds ink well—it"s a favorite of artists and calligraphers—and sheets of mitsumata paper are also used in traditional shoji screens.Desktop Version

Jan 13, 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii

With more than 600 curves and numerous one-lane bridges, it"s best not to relax too much while navigating Hawaii"s famous Road to Hana. It"s hard to stay focused though, as the road winds its way through lush surroundings over 64 miles along the northern coast of Maui, from Kahului to Hana. Make a few stops along the way to get the best views of the rainforests and waterfalls that line the route. Popular attractions include the Waikamoi Ridge Trail, the easily accessible Twin Falls, and the black sands of Wai"ānapanapa State Park.Desktop Version

Jan 26, 2023Heavens Gate Cave, Tianmen Mountain National Park, China

The rock arch formation you"re looking at today is Heaven"s Gate Cave, a popular landmark in Hunan province, China. This busy tourist destination is located on Tianmen (Heaven"s Gate) Mountain in Tianmen Mountain National Park. To reach the arch, you must either ride a cable car or take a bus up a twisty, winding road with 99 turns. (The number 9 represents eternity in Chinese numerology.) Once off the bus, you"ll need to walk 999 steps up a 45-degree incline—a stairway to the heavens. It"s no easy feat, but this is no ordinary cave. At an elevation of 4,100 feet, the arch is 440 feet high and 180 feet wide.Desktop Version

Mar 12, 2022The Girl Scouts celebrate 110 years

Today we"re celebrating 110 years of the Girl Scouts! Sure, we enjoy their cookies every year, but with so much history behind the organization, the Girl Scouts deserve merit badges for more than just the Thin Mint. On March 12, 1912, founder Juliette Gordon Low brought an outfit called the Girl Guides stateside from England after befriending the founder of the scouting movement there. The first American troop had 18 girls participating. Low designed activities to allow girls to serve their communities, experience the outdoors, and develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. Those skills would be useful on the camping expedition seen in today"s photo. These girls can be seen along the shore of Todd Lake at the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon in 1960.Desktop Version

Aug 17, 2019The buzz about bees

Even if most of the time you try to avoid bees—and, perhaps, even pictures of bees—you may want to make an exception today: it"s National Honey Bee Day. Back in 2009, then-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack officially recognized this event to help raise awareness about the critical role bees play in the world"s ecosystem and give a nod to the beekeeping industry. Around the world, there are over 20,000 species of bees, which include solitary bees, bumblebees, and honey bees. Of these, only honey bees make honey, but all these industrious insects benefit humans by pollinating roughly a third of the crops we eat. Honey bees do most of the heavy lifting. In the US alone, each year domesticated honey bees pollinate about $20 billion worth of crops such as almonds, watermelons, blueberries, and more.Desktop Version

Aug 3, 2023Zelenci Nature Reserve, Slovenia

Experience nature"s palette at its colorful best at Zelenci Springs, where Italy, Austria, and Slovenia meet, and multiple springs combine to form this aquamarine lake. Here in Slovenia’s Triglav National Park, these crystal-clear waters are the source of the Sava Dolinka, which runs into the country’s longest river, the Sava. Peer closely at the lakebed and you will see tiny springs bubbling up beneath the water"s surface. These spring waters never freeze as underground water temperatures stay around 41 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to keep flowing through harsh winters in this alpine region.Desktop Version

Jul 23, 2023Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Legend has it that tea was first brewed accidentally around 2737 BC in China thanks to a strong wind and some loose leaves. If you find that hard to swallow, there are other origin stories to choose from. However, one thing is certain—the feeling it stirs in tea drinkers worldwide. From gongfu tea practice in China to darye in Korea, there are plenty of fascinating tea cultures to savor. Tea tourism has gained popularity, with visitors to tea plantations and estates learning all about their history. Our homepage image shows one such place, Nuwara Eliya"s Edinburgh Estate in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya"s colonial-era buildings and mist-shrouded tea gardens have earned it the name "Little England." The area is known for producing some of the world"s finest orange pekoe tea. So, for your next trip, are you willing to "chai" something new?Desktop Version

May 4, 2023Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with you! The "Star Wars" universe has captured the imagination of fans for decades and its impact, like the "Force," is all around us. The original 1977 film introduced us to a galaxy far, far away, a cast of unforgettable characters, and a gripping battle between good and evil. Its reach has since extended to television, books, comics, theme parks, thousands of products, and a day of its own to celebrate the much-loved sci-fi franchise.Desktop Version

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